Don’t Economise On Your Oral Health

Finances might be getting tighter, but please don’t deprioritise your teeth and gum health

It is impossible to avoid stories about the poor state of the economy at the moment and  things seem likely to get worse before they get better. The increase in the cost of fuel will also add to people’s fears that a recession might be looming. Whatever the situation, there is little doubt that a lot of people will be looking to cut back on their expenditure over the next year or so.

Some things can be cut back on with reasonable ease. Cheaper holidays can be found and some investments, such as a new kitchen, can often be delayed in some cases. One area that we urge you not to cut back on though is your oral health.

Teeth and gum maintenance

The reality is that everyday home oral health care is actually pretty cheap. Aside from replacing toothbrushes, toothpaste and dental floss, there is really no major cost associated with looking after your teeth and gums. This daily maintenance is both essential and affordable and there is really no excuse to neglect it.

Where people are looking to cut back spending, they might be tempted not to see the dentist, and especially the hygienist as often as before, perhaps going yearly instead, or even not at all. This would be a huge mistake and could well result in potentially serious oral health issues if problems are not dealt with early on. At Alexandra Dental Care, we are firm believers in preventative oral health care and regular dentist and hygienist visits play an important part in that.

Minor dental issues

Another way in which people might try to save money is by not contacting the dentist when a relatively ‘minor’ issue arises, such as a ‘mild’ toothache. If this can be managed with a painkiller such as paracetamol, it might be tempting not to have it looked at by a dentist in order to save money. Whilst painkillers may mask the pain and prevent the tooth from being immediately problematic, they don’t address the underlying issue.

As with not seeing your dentist for checkups; any issues with your teeth should be looked at as soon as possible. It may not be too painful or even painful at all, such as where a tooth has suffered a small chip. Leaving these problems for too long though can result in the problems becoming more significant. Not only might this result in a more extensive procedure being needed, but you are likely to find that the cost of the treatment is significantly higher too. Taking this approach to save a little more may well turn out to be costly in the long run, both for the health of your teeth and gums as well as your pocket!

Cosmetic dentistry

This is an area that might seem to be an obvious one for reducing expenditure. After all, these treatment are, as the name says, cosmetic. Cosmetic dentistry offers significant benefits to a lot of people though and an attractive smile can be important for confidence and success in both our personal and business lives. If you are considering having a smile makeover or if you are wondering whether to delay it, why not talk to us? We have a wide range of payment plans that can help you to spread the cost of payment over a period of time.

There may be challenging times ahead for many of us, but we do urge you to maintain your oral health care, both at home and with our professional help. If you live in the Burton, Swadlincote and Ashby areas and would like to contact us about any aspect of your oral health care, please contact Alexandra Dental Care on 01283 216347.

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